The Kennewick School District in Kennewick, WA is planning to pilot a new menu for school children over the summer. The pilot program will include whole foods, fresh produce and items with extremely low sugar.
Living in the heart of Washington agriculture, it would seem like a simple task to procure fresh fruits and vegetables while surrounded by amazing farms and farming families. That is not the case, says Kennewick School Board Vice President, Micah Valentine.
“You would not believe the amount of bureaucratic hurdles we have to overcome just to get kids a great meal,” Valentine says. “Our school staff is the best in the business, and they want to give the kids healthy meals, but our state laws make that very difficult.”
“It takes a tremendous amount of willpower and maneuvering within the system to get healthy food in front of these kids,” Valentine said. “What they are eating now is just not always healthy, but it follows the state’s guidelines.”
To make this new program work kitchens will have to be improved at each school. Kitchens currently primarily just reheat prepared food.
Training Is Not a Problem
The new menu will require staff training as well, but Valentine says that is not a problem.
“The lunchroom staff are a group of dedicated people,” Valentine says. “They are wonderful people who work hard and with this change they have been extremely responsive.”
With a focus on healthier eating, now is a great time to launch this pilot program in the Kennewick schools.
“We need to do better,” Valentine says. “We often fill these kids up with sugar in the morning and then wonder why they are falling asleep at their desks in the afternoon. We say, go eat this pancake and syrup, then go take your assessment test 3 hours later, and that’s what the state is recommending. It’s madness!”
Although Washington offers plenty of farm-fresh food, the school district cannot always contract with local farmers because of pointless regulations and red tape.
“It’s crazy, frustrating, and time-consuming, but it’s worth it,” Valentine says. “I have been going around to schools and eating meals with the kids. I want to experience what they experience. After several cafeteria meals, I am completely convinced that we need to improve these meals for our kids.”
It’s Time to Make America Health Again!
The MAHA, or Make America Healthy Again, movement was started by Robert F. Kennedy when he joined the Trump administration. The effort is to reduce processed foods and add natural, healthy, fresh alternatives.
“MAHA Action is dedicated to organizing and empowering Americans to advocate for this once in a generation opportunity to reverse the chronic disease epidemic and make America health,” the MAHA website reads.
American kids spend a great deal of time on computers and smart phones. Obesity continues to be a problem. Kennedy and Trump believe it’s time to do something to improve the health of Americans.
“I’m partnering with President Donald Trump to make to transform our nation’s food, fitness, air, water, soil, and medicine,” Kennedy says in a MAHA video. “We are going to become, once again, the healthiest nation on earth.”
